Reduction gear box



Jan. 8, 1952 e. H. SCHAFFER REDUCTION GEAR BOX 2 SI-lEETS-SHEET 1 Filed May 27, 1949 n w m ,0. w 11...: I W/ a m n 1 i J h n L 2 w n m .JJ 2 w, H 4 n w Hm" w 1| mm -L a A H hm; mm a a n m. Z J a ATTORNE Jan. 8, 1952 a. H. SCHAFFER REDUCTION GEAR BOX 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed May 27, 1949 a M w/ Patented Jan. 8, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT "Q F REDUCTION GEAR BOX George H. Schaffer, Waterbury, Conn.

Application May 27, 1949, Serial No.'95,671

This invention relates to gear transmissions,

and more particularly to a gear box having a set of speed reduction gears which may be reversely connected so as to provide a speed increase whenever desired. One object of this invention is to provide an apparatus of the above nature in which the gear set includes an annular gear having teeth on both its inner and outer surfaces, said gear being so arranged as to permit the gear box to be very compact, while providing a high mechanical advantage.

Another object is to provide a device of the above'nature, wherein the gears may be quickly and easily removed for purposes of inspection or replacement.

A further object is to provide a device of the above nature which will be simple in-construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install and maintain, reversible, having a high power transmitting capacity, and very eificient and durable in use. Y With these and other objects in view, there have been illustrated on the accompanying drawing two forms in which the inventiorrmay conveniently be embodied in practice.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of the improved gear box, the housing being shown'in cross-section on the broken line I-I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view, on the line 2- -2 ofFigl. I 3

Fig. '3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, showing a modified form'of annular gear, and the drive means therefor; i 1

Referring now to the drawings in which like referencenumeral denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral-Illindicates' an' open-topped rectangular housing I I which is adapted to be closed by means of a cover II secured by a plurality of screws I2, and which has side walls I3, I4, and end walls I5, I6.

The left hand portion of the housing I0, as viewed in the drawing, contains an elongated gear I! of small diameter, which will be hereinafter referred to as the drive gear for purposes of description, although it will be understood that if thegear box is employed for reverse operation, the gear I! would be the driven gear.

The drive gear I1 is adapted to be inserted into the housing I through either of a pair of openings I9, 20 in the end walls I 5, I6, respectively, and is fixed upon a horizontal drive shaft I8. In order to support the drive shaft I8, provision is made of a pair of low-friction bearing 2I, 22, of

1 Claim. (01. 74-438) any suitable type, such as ball bearings, which are held upon respective reduced end portions of the shaft I8 by means of nuts 23, 24. The bearings 2 I, 22 are held against outwardly facing shoulders 25, 26 of the opening I9, 20, respectively, by means of grease caps 21, 28 which are secured to the outer surfaces of the walls I5, I6 by screws 29.

In order to permit the drive shaft I8 to be driven from a suitable source of power, said shaft is provided with a slotted end coupling portion 30 which projects outwardly through an aperture in the grease cap 21.

The drive gear I! is in mesh with gear teeth 3| formed upon the outer surface of a large annular gear 32, which is also provided with inner gear teeth 33 (Fig. 2). The annular gear 32 is internally supported by means of three symmetrically disposed small intermediate gears 34, 35, 36, the axes of which are fixed with relation to the housing I0, "and which are in mesh with the inner teeth 33 of said annular gear 32 so as to be driven thereby. The small intermediate gears 34, 35, 36-are supported in horizontal positions by means of three shafts 31 which are carried by a plurality of bearings 38 held thereon by means of nuts 39. The bearings 38 are retained in stepped openings in the end walls I5, I6, by means of a pluralit of grease caps 4-I secured by screws 42.

It will be noted that the openings 40 are of a sufiicient diameter to permit the gears 34, 35, 36 to be inserted and removed therethrough, thus facilitating the assembly and maintenance of the gear box.

In order to prevent excessive lateral shifting of the annular gear 32, the small intermediate gear 34 isprovided with a cylindrical abutment portion -43 adjacent the end wall I6, while the small intermediate- 'geary35 is provided with a cylindrical abutment portion 44 adjacent the end wall I5.

Thus, the lateral edges of the inner teeth 33 of the annular gear 32 are adapted to engage one or the other of the abutment portions 43, 44 if any lateral shifting tendency of the annular gear 32 should occur, whereby said gear will be maintained in its proper operating position.

The intermediate gears 34, 35, 36, are in mesh with an inner driven gear 45 which is centrally disposed within the annular gear 32, and which is secured upon a horizontal driven shaft 46 having split coupling portions 47, 48 projecting outwardly of the housing end walls I5, I6. The driven shaft 46 is also provided with a pair of bearing 49, which are held thereon by means of nuts 50, and

66 which are retained in cavities in the end walls I5,

wisedireetion.

r 3 16, respectively, by means of a pair of apertured grease caps 5|.

Second form If desired, the improved gear box may be modiing 55.

Thebe aring 55 is' secured against a shoulder 55a upon the drive shaft 53 by means of a nut 56... and is retained in the stepped opening 54 bymeans of an apertured grease cap 51 securghlgy screws 58. The drive shaft 53 also comprisesan outer end split coupling portion' 5'9--which projects outwardly through the apertured greasemap 51, and may of course, be connected to any suitable source of rotary power.

In this form of the. invention, provision is made: an annulargear Gikwhiclr is similar-to the annulargear 32 in. the first. form of. the: in,

ventiorr, and is provided. with inner teeth 61; in mesl'r withv the'small intermediate gears; 35, 3.6. Inzthe. gear 69., however, the,- outer teeth are omitted, and: a. flat; end surface-f saidr'gear 60 is; provided; with. bevel teeth 62 which; are: in mesh with. the bevelled; drive gear: 52..

' It:- will:v bee understoodethat. thee bevel teeth. 62 may: becprovided; at.- either end or: the. annular gear: 6.0;. the, drive; gear'52 being: disposed. tomesh with said teeth 62. Thus, the. drive gear; 52-:may be selectively constructectsothat the driven shaft 465; wills rotate. ineither a: clockwise; or counterclockwise; direction: when the drive. shaft. 53 is connected. to; aanotoriwhich rotates in a.c1ocl-z- Operation.

In operat on, aft r t e: hous n H! has been mounted in, the. desired;loca:tion, the; coupling portion will be connected to a suitable;source of,;power., Either." or both of the; coupling; portions 41, Ali-will then-be.connectedtdthe machine apparatus to. be: driven.

. If the operatorshouldfind itmoreexpedient to drive; the gear; box from the; opp.osite=,.side thereof heamay; easily reverse the' position of the drive shaft :jflemerelygby; removing, the; grease caps 2,1, 28 and .the.;n ut,- 2.4.. whereupon theishaft l8: and; the drive.- gear I'l; thereon may wi h drawn; thnoughtheaperture; L9,;

....The gear Hr will; or course;. be; reinserted through the aperture 20, and the greaseacapx 21 securedzto the: end. wall.. l6 ,by-ameans ofzthe: nut 2. The; nut. and the. grease cap *2'8ywillrthen beg appliedat the;location1of the aperture, so that; the, coupling portion 30 will; then be: in operating position projecting outwardly: fromsthe' end If the operator should desire to employ a right angle drive, he will use the modified form of gear box construction shown in Fig. 3, wherein the drive shaft 53 projects outwardly from the side wall I3 at right angles to the driven shaft 26.

One advantage of the gear box herein disclosed is that it has a high power transmitting capacity confined within a small compact space.

While there have been disclosed in this specification two: forms in. which the: invention may be. embodied, itzis to Ice-understood that'these forms are shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to. the specific disclosures, but may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing;from; its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claim. Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new, and for which it is desired tosecure Letters Patent,,is:

In a. gear box. ahousing, a. plurality of. symmetrically disposed intermediate gears. rotatably mounted, on parallel' axes fixed. with respect. to said housing, a driven gear located between said intermediate gears. and meshedtherewith, afloat"- ing annular. gear embracing" said intermediate gears. and meshed therewithand'having the same axis as saidv driven gear, and meansfor drivingv said annular gear, the intermeshing, t'eeth'o'ff Said intermediate. and. annular gears, being. of a. sub;- stantial length and" parallel to the axes oi'rot'ar tion thereof, the teeth, of saidintermediatefgears extending. beyond the ends, of; said annular gear, apair of cylindrical abutment portions being p110.- vided' on one end of two of said intermediate gears. at opposite. ends. of saidfioati'n annular gear. for preventing] said annular, gear. from shift; ingl'ongitudinallyonits axis.

' GEORGE. H. SCHAFE HI 'REFERENCES CITED I The. following references. are of record. the file; of. thispatent 

